In known access control systems, a cardholder user can swipe or otherwise present an access card to a card reader. Responsive thereto, an associated access controller can access an associated database to determine the access privileges of the user associated with the presented access card. If the access controller determines that the user has been assigned the privilege of accessing a region secured by a door associated with the card reader, then the access controller can transmit a signal to open the door. However, if the access controller determines that the user has not been assigned the privilege of accessing the region secured by the door, then the access controller will not transmit a signal to open the door.
Known access control systems support controlling access to secured regions based on a time of day. For example, in addition to determining whether a user associated with a presented access card has access privileges to a secured region, known access controllers can also determine whether the user has access privileges during the time of day at which the access card is presented. However, special circumstances may arise, for example, a high security situation, that may result in an administrator wanting to temporarily forbid access by all users to one or more areas secured by one or more doors associated with one or more card readers.
In view of the above, there is a continuing, ongoing need for improved systems and methods.